Front sight for guns or rifles.



J. H. BLAKE.

FRONT SIGHT FOR GUNS OR RIFLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. I9I5 1,174,046. l Patented Mar. 7,1916.

IIIII'. S

S1400, MCO/a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY BLAKE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

FRONT SIGHT FOR GUNS OR RIFLES.

Application filed March 31, 1915.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris, in the country of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Front Sights for Guns or Rifles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in front sights for guns or rifles.

An important object of the invention is to provide a front sight of the above mentioned character, adapted for convenient and accurate vertical aiming of the barrel of the gun or rifle, whereby the untrained soldier or marksman is prevented from overshooting the target.

A further object of the invention is to provide a front sight adapted for use in failing light.

A further object of the invention is to provide a front sight of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a front sight embodying mV invention, showing it applied to a rifle, Fig. 2 is a similar view upon an enlarged scale, with a portion of the barrel broken away, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 4 is a further enlarged rear side elevation of the front sight removed, Fig. 5 is an enlarged front side elevation of the sight. removed, and, Fig. G is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 4:.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates the stock or butt of a riiie. such as an infantry rifle, having the usual fore-arm 11, upon which is secured a barrel 12, as shown.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, this barrel 12 is provided near its front end with a transverse dove-tail groove 13, receiving a transverse dove-tail attaching base or member 14, carried by and preferably formed integral with the lower end of a vision obstructing block or member 15, preferably formed of metal, such as blue steel. This vision obstructing block or member has a flat horizontal top, which is preferably at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

Serial No 18,320.

least three-eighths of an inch wide. The vision obstructing block or member 15 is provided upon its fiat top with a longitudinally extending sight rib or point 1G, preferably integral therewith, and equidistantly spaced from the sides thereof, as shown. This sight rib or point is preferably formed integral with the block 15 and is slightly vertically tapered toward its front end, as shown.

The block or member 15 is provided ad- ]acent its rear side with an approximately vertical or upstanding opening 17, which is preferably circular in cross-section. This opening 17 extends partly through the rear side of the block or member 15, providing a vertical opening or slit 18, which is preferably7 tapered and increases in width upwardly. The tapering of the opening 18 may be obtained by slightly inclining the upper end of the opening 17 rearwardly.

The numeral 19 designates a sight bar or sight plug, preferably circular in crossesection. and adapted to fit snugly in the opening 17. as shown. This sight bar is clamped or held within the opening 17 by a clamping screw 20, having screw-threaded engagement with-in a transverse opening E21 and provided at its front end with a head 22, disposed upon the front side of the block or member 15, as shown. As more clearly shown in Figs. et and 6, a vertical portion or line of the rear side of the sight bar or sight plug 19 is visible through the opening or slit 18, while the upper end of this element proliects above the flat top of the block or member 15, for a short distance. and is clearly visible thereabove. The sight bar is formed of a light colored or bright material, such as ivory, pearl, silver, and the like. It is thus apparent that I have provided a front sight embodying a light obstructing block or member having upon its rear side a white or bright narrow vertical line with a white p r bright sight bead at the upper end of the lne.

In the use of a gun or rifle equipped with my improved sight, upon aiming the barrel thereof, the vision obstructing block or member 15 may be brought into position to completely cover or block out the target, and in order that it may be observed, the front end of the barrel is moved downwardly, until the target is apparent over the flat top of the block or member 15. Bv this means accurate vertical aiming of the barrel is obtainable, and the untrained Soldier or marksmanprevented from overshooting the target.

member 15 is now aimed at the target, which is visible from opposite sides thereof, whereby accurate horizontal aiming of the barrel is obtainable. The vertical white line beneath the top of the white sight bar aids in the horizontal aiming. The function of forming the sight bar of white or bright material, is to provide means whereby the gun or rifle may be accurately aimed in failing light.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. A front sight for a gun or rifle, comprising a vision obstructing member having an approximately vertical opening formed therein adjacent its rear side and extending through such rear side for providing an approximately vertical slot which has a substantially smaller width than that of the opening, and a light colored sight member arranged within the approximately vertical opening t0 be visible through the slot and extending upwardly bevond the top of the block for a. substantial distance.

2. A front sight for a gun or rifle, comprising a vision obstructing block having a fiat horizontal top and an approximately vertical opening formed in the block adjacent its rear side and extending through the rear side for providing a contracted approximately vertical slot, a light colored sight member arranged within the approximately vertical opening to be visible through the approximately vertical slot and extending upwardly beyond the top of the block for a. substantial distance, and a clamping member passing through the forward side of the block and contacting with the light colored sight member for holding it in place.

3. A front sight for a gun or rifle, comprising a vision obstructing block having a flat horizontal top and a substantially cylindrical opening formed therein adjacent its rear side and inclined rearwardly slightly with respect to the vertical axis of the block and passing through the rear side of the block for providing a contracted slot which increases in widh upwardly, and a substantially cylindrical light colored sight member arranged within the opening to be visible through the slot and extending upwardly beyond the top of the block for a substantial distance.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY BLAKE.

Witnesses:

C'. L. PARKER, JAMES L. CRAWFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

